It has been 20 years after the legendary game debuted across the Atlantic, giving everyday gamers the opportunity to become a rock star. Not literally, but try convincing anyone who has nailed the epic lengthy instrumental break before an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Created by Harmonix, Guitar Hero gave players a guitar-shaped controller to match coloured notes moving along the display synchronized to the music. Every sequence corresponded to specific notes, creating the sensation of a genuine performance.
The studio had already experimented in the music genre before partnering with the publisher, which was purchased by the gaming giant during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the foundations for a surprising massively profitable franchise which made a remarkable influence on numerous of the artists featured, showcasing decades-old groups to millions of younger players.
Michael Dornbrook, ex-chief operating officer from the developer, remembers the early budgetary hurdles in securing the recordings – even though initial releases primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We rerecorded all the music because the cost prohibitive,” he explains. “Despite having the publishing rights by themselves, it was nearly impossible. We couldn’t get bands like legendary groups – the publisher was operating on a shoestring budget, and we were pretty convinced it would fail. However, when the game became a hit, and record sales airtime were going up, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “Among the remarkable aspects was the number of parents got in touch and thanked us for introducing their kids to the music they adored. It became a multigenerational phenomenon.”
Classic Rock Gains a New Audience
Northern Irish blues-rock band the Answer had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician Paul Mahon remembers the way the game revived older hits back into vogue: “Guitar Hero provided a larger, new demographic. Generally such music was considered music that was past it, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers discovered it, abruptly it was cool. This validated it, eliminating the ‘dad rock’ label. It provided our catalog a new life.”
In 2008, the band's first record remained unreleased stateside, meaning Guitar Hero was a key medium of discovery for the group during their a North American tour opening for AC/DC. “Their crew had on the song on the tour bus, and some of them knew us from Guitar Hero,” he notes.
Major Band Titles Enduring Impact
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen featuring in specialized game editions centered around their music collections and related stories, visuals and legendary status. For example, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, it was said to have made the group greater revenue than any of their studio albums. It sold more than 500,000 units in its first week, while sales of their songs saw an increase of up to 40% at a time as the industry was already collapsing.
Guitar Hero still motivates nimble-fingered dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, an online personality completed a remarkable feat featuring Through the Fire and Flames – an infamously tough power-metal song made popular by Guitar Hero – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of customisation options. The song is difficult even in the hardest setting, not to mention played at increased tempo and without missing a single one of its near 4,000 notes. The streamer claimed requiring nine months of practice.
“The game is a fun, imaginary experience. Just as with Call of Duty, it doesn't imply you ought to pick up actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician Herman Li.
The band had already completed a profitable run when Through the Fire and Flames appeared on Guitar Hero III, but Li says it turned them into a household name. “I recall our distributors informing us that we were selling albums rapidly,” he says. “Popularity surged when we next toured, and we were playing just before the headliners on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, DragonForce’s exposure via the game was so immense that it risked overshadow all other the band has done. Last year, the track was used in promotional material for a major film. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “Should you just hear a single track, that's fine – everyone’s got a unique musical journey and I’m glad we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
Enduring Legacy from the Plastic Guitar
The best marketing, whether it’s for cars, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it inspires a desire. Did Guitar Hero tap into that? “Precisely what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “The excitement of being a rock star on the stage. Since the beginning, the creators believed humans have a natural urge to create songs, and their goal was to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most of Guitar Hero games were released in just a five-year period from 2005 to 2010, featuring spin-offs such as the DJ version, including a spinning deck, and Band Hero. Subsequently, corporate focus in plastic instruments waned, aside from a short-lived revival several years later.
Games such as Clone Hero and newer releases have maintained the scene alive, and there’s expectations of something from the founders in development. A new studio has begun production on their first music game. The initial creators are participating as special advisers. Is the world ready to embrace another game in the spirit of the classic?
“We thought those games might become similar to sports games where you can releases,” Dornbrook says. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, so I’ve always been hopeful. There’s no reason for it to persist for future fans.”
